Once We are Descendants

Chapter 68: Negotiations

"I just got a text from Mal," Evie says as the entire group finishes breakfast in the dining room. "She says we're going to have to meet at the clock tower on Main Street."

"Why there?" Doug asks.

"Apparently, Belle wants to do a little more research on the book Crystal found. The book that had the recipe that created the portal that brought you here." Regina says, beginning to clean up the dishes. "She wants to read a book about a book... I always knew she was the book worm. And meanwhile, I am tasked with gathering the ingredients to recreate the product that caused this disaster."

While Evie had yet to become used to her alternate mother's sarcasm, she did feel a little hurt by the words. Was it really a disaster if they got to know each other? The mother she always wanted and apparently the daughter she always wanted. The smile faded from her face a bit, but she puts on a calm demeanour, helping gather the breakfast dishes.

"Are you going to need help?" Doug asks.

"I appreciate the offer, but the place to get these components is extremely private to me, so I am going to do it alone. But what you kids can do is try to get Ursula's guppy to tell you how she made it. If the ingredients used were not the same, that could complicate things."

"I really don't want to go near Uma," Dizzy says, immediately rushing to the sink to begin doing dishes. This surprised Evie immensely that the granddaughter of Lady Tremaine would be so eager to do chores, especially after her own "Cinderella" treatment on the Isle, but seeing the anxiety on the young girl's face at the prospect of going near Uma who is a bully and a ruthless villain that after her mother in every way, she could understand why. She wanted to stall for as long as possible. However, the daughter of the Evil Queen's mind begins to wonder about this "private" place Regina mentioned. Was it family-related? Would she be able to access it since she was technically her daughter? The curiosity was getting to her and the desire to learn more about her mother suddenly rises up inside her stomach. She's unsure of all these feelings inside of herself... they were all relatively new... ones that made her want to feel loved and to have someone to look up to. A person she could run to if she had problems and who could impart wisdom. While Mal was always her number one confidante, the two of them were the same age, Regina had much more experience when it comes to feelings, emotions, and especially true love. Mal was only starting to figure out this concept with Ben herself... if they ever got back together.

"Evie and I could do it," Jay says, pulling Evie from her thoughts. "And we'll try to find Carlos on the way."

"We... we can?"

"Yeah, no offence to you, Doug, and Robbie, but we've grown up with Uma, we know how to handle her more than anyone."

"That's perfectly fine," Doug says, secretly relieved that he would not have to confront such a vicious VK.

"I'm okay with that," Robbie agrees. "I guess we can help Dizzy with the dishes."

"You kids don't have to worry about that," Regina says, going over to shut the water in the sink off as Dizzy had already started to fill it.

"It's the least we can do for your kind hospitality," Robbie says in a very formal voice.

Regina swallows a lump in her, sensing a little bit of her Robin shining through this boy. She does her best to fight back her tears, wondering what the outlaw would think if he'd been able to meet his "polite" alternate son. The blue eyes are there and the crooked smile, but he did have more red hair, likely coming from his real father or mother. Even after such a long time, just the mere thought of her soulmate still manages to bring the tears. Snow said that this was normal, but obviously the Evil Queen was not going to take advice from the lovey-dovey princess who's technically never lost her true love for a very long time and who blissfully ignores the trauma that she and her mother had forced upon the seemingly dainty woman. She doesn't want to start crying in front of the teenagers.